French Economy Minister Christine Lagarde, speaking hours before the publication of official jobless figures for May, said on Thursday she saw a good employment trend in France. Lagarde declined to give details on the May figure or to name a target for France's future unemployment rate.
But asked by France Info radio whether the French had reason to be optimistic about the May jobs data, she said: "I think we are on a good trend."
The French unemployment rate fell to 8.2 percent in April. Figures for May are due to be published later on Thursday, and economists polled by Reuters expect the May jobless rate to come in at 8.1 percent.
The conservative government of President Nicolas Sarkozy has made boosting jobs one of its priorities.
In a separate interview with BFM radio, Lagarde said she hoped the government's planned reforms and tax breaks, including on home loans and overtime pay, would boost the economy.
Asked whether she was still hoping for economic growth of 2.5 percent in 2008, Lagarde said: "Yes, that's the objective that we have set ourselves".
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